Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-11-11

| oA oAhAN1HAhLDI ALl%o-i NNN'OuoSA AN'
The following is the Governors decision
in full in the Anarchist case:
STATE OF ILLINOIS,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
SPRINGFIELD, Nov. 10, 1887.
'On the Goth of August, 1886, in the
Cook county criminal court August Spies,
Albert R. Parsons, Samuel Fielden, Michael
Schwab, Adolph Fischer, George Engel,
and Louis Lingg, were found guilty by
the verdict of the jury, and after
wards sentenced to be hanged for
the murder of Matthias J. Degan. An ap-
peal was taken from such findings and sem
tenee to the Supreme Court of the State
That Court, upon final hearing, and after
mature deliberation, unanimously affirmed
the Judgment of the Court below.
"The case now comes before nae by petit
tion of the defendants for consideration, as
Governor of the State. If the letters of
Albert Parsons, Adolph Fischer, George
Engel and Louis Lingg. demanding an
unconditional release or as they express
it, Liberty or Death, and protesting in
the strangest language against mercy or
CT Communication of the sentence pronounced
against them can be considered petitions,
a pardon, could it be granted, which might
imply any guilt whatever upon upon the
part of either of them, would not be such
a indication as they demand. Executive
intervention upon the grounds insisted
upon by The four above named persons,
could in no proper sense be deemed an ex-
ercise of the constitutional power to grant
reprieves, combinations and pardons un-
less based upon the belief on my part
of their entire innocence of the crime of
which they stand convicted. A careful
consideration OF the evidence in the record
of the trial of the parties, as we'll of alleged
and claimed for that outside OF the record,
has failed 10 produce upon my mind any
impression tending to impeach the verdict
Uf the Jury or the Judgment Of the trial
court or of the Supreme Court, affirming
the guilt of all these parties
| Satisfied, therefore, as | am of their
guilt, sm precluded from considering the
question of communication Of the sentences
of Albert K. Parsons, Adolph Fischer,
George Eugel and Louis Lingg to impris.
onment in the peniteutiary, as they en-
phatically declare they will not accept
such Communication. Samuel Fielden Mi
chael Schwab and August Spies unite in a
petition for executive clcmency.' Fielden
and Schwab in addition present separate
and supplementary petitions for the COM
mutton of their sentence. While, az said
above, am satisfied of the guilt Of all the
parties, as found by the verdict OF
the jury, which was sustained
by the judgments of the Courts,
a most careful consideration of the
whole subject leads me to the conclusion
that the sentence Of the law as to Samuel
Fielden and Michael SChwab may be mod
fled as to each of them, in the interest Of
humanity, and without doing violence to
public Justice. And as to the said Samuel
Fielden and Michael Schwab, the sentence
is commuted to imprisonment in the pen
itentiary for life As TO all the other
above-named defendants, ! do not
feel justified in interfering with
the sentence of the court. While
/ would gladly have come to a conclusion
in regard to the sentence Of defendants
August Spies, Adolph Fischer, George
Engel, Albert X. Parsons and Louis
Lingg, / regret to say that under the
solemn sense of the obligations of my
Office, have been unable to do so."
RICHARD J. OGLEsBY,
Envernnr